| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 55 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 55 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons good olive oil
- 3 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
- 4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
- Large pinch of saffron threads
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup orzo
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Grilled Cheese Croutons (recipe follows)
- 4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices country white bread
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven such as Le Creuset, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes, saffron, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, fill a medium pot with water, add 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and cook for 7 minutes. (It will finish cooking in the soup.) Drain the orzo and add it to the soup. Stir in the cream, return the soup to a simmer, and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring frequently.
- Serve hot with Grilled Cheese Croutons scattered on top.
- Heat a panini grill. Place the four slices of bread on a cutting board and brush lightly with the melted butter, being sure to butter the corners. Turn the slices over and pile Gruyere on two of the slices. Place the remaining two slices of bread on top of the Gruyere, buttered sides up.
- Grill the sandwiches on the panini grill for about 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Place on a cutting board, allow to rest for 1 minute, and cut into 1-inch cubes. Yield: 4 to 6 servings
- Note: The Grilled Cheese Crouton recipe was halved for the taping of this episode.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 407 |
| Total Fat | 27 g |
| Saturated Fat | 12 g |
| Carbohydrates | 28 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Protein | 14 g |
| Cholesterol | 58 mg |
| Sodium | 704 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 407 |
| Total Fat | 27 g |
| Saturated Fat | 12 g |
| Carbohydrates | 28 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Protein | 14 g |
| Cholesterol | 58 mg |
| Sodium | 704 mg |
Reviews
My family and I wanted something warm and comforting . Followed recipe and found it lacked flavor. I have cooked in restaurants and am a great cook. I ended up adding vermouth, minced red pepper as well as chile flakes to rev it up a bit. The croutons were the only positive thing about this recipe. Definitely after unanimous vote going back to the old family recipe. Note: how many cans of tomatoes can San Marzano produce? Not half as many as are on the shelves claiming to be.
Wow…I don’t know what went wrong! I consider myself a very good cook, others do as well. The only thing I didn’t add was the saffron. I cooked the onions long enough to a soft, golden brown consistency. In the soup, they were floating around as if they were noodles. The soup lacked flavor for some reason. I won’t be making this again.
No directions on the croutons. The only reason I even considered this recipe was for the croutons and there’s no instruction on them.
This recipe is perfect and the end result is absolutely amazing. I usually cook without recipes and have been cooking this way for the longest time! To be completely honest, the only recipe(s) I have followed 100% in the past 10 years have been Ina’s. Her measurements, ratios, etc. are so spot on. I followed the recipe exactly as instructed & once again, perfection. Thank you, Ina! ❤️ #myhusbandhadthreeservings♀️
I’ve made this soup twice now and loved it both times. It is a very easy soup to make. I did use the saffron and just purchased a small container of it which was on a promotional-type item. in the aisle. It was not with the usual spice jars. I did not use the orzo.
I followed the recipe but without the saffron and I didn’t like it at all so instead of tossing it out I used it for the base of seafood crab bisque and it came out great!
YUMMY!!! I followed the recipe except for the saffron (too expensive) and it was to die for. Will definitely be a “go to” recipe for me. Thanks Ina.
Excellent soup – I doubled the recipe and it was perfect. The only change was to use Asiago bread for the grilled cheese croutons. A hit!
This soup is amazing! I didn’t add the saffron and it was still great — so I can only imagine how wonderful it would be with the addition. On my 2nd attempt, I added some Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. BAM! So good. I took about 3 ladles to my food processor just to thicken up the consistency. My husband doesn’t care for tomato soup so I am going to add shredded chicken next time so entice him. Throw on some shredded mozzarella and you’re good to go! There are so many different directions to take this recipe. You can’t go wrong! Although, saffron is on my shopping list. 🙂
This soup is delicious. The orzo and the cheesy croutons put it over the top.
I garnished my soup also with a few basil leaves.
I garnished my soup also with a few basil leaves.